Itwasapity，hesaid，thattheRothschildswerenotonhisletterofcredit；hewouldhavebeenwillingtopaytributetotheGeniusofFinanceinthepercentageonatleasttenpounds。Butheconsoledhimselfbyreflectingthathedidnotneedthemoney；andheconsoledMrs。MarchfortheirfailuretopenetratetotheinterioroftheRothschilds’birthplacebytakinghertoseethehousewhereGoethewasborn。Thepublicisapparentlymuchmoreexpectedthere，andinthefriendlyplacetheywerenodoubtmuchmorewelcomethantheywouldhavebeenintheRothschildhouse。UnderthatrooftheyrenewedahappymomentofWeimar，whichafterthelapseofaweekseemedalreadysoremote。Theywondered，astheymountedthestairsfromthebasementopeningintoacleanlittlecourt，howBurnamywasgettingon，andwhetherithadyetcometothatunderstandingbetweenhimandAgatha，whichMrs。March，atleast，hadmeanttobeinevitable。Thentheybecamepartofsomesuchsight-seeingretinueasfollowedthecustodianaboutintheGoethehorseinWeimar，andofanemotionindistinguishablefromthatoftheirfellowsight-seers。Theycouldmakesure，afterwards，ofapersonalpleasureinacertainprescientclassicismofthehouse。ItsomehowrecalledboththeGoethehousesatWeimar，anditsomehowrecalledItaly。Itisaseparatehouseoftwofloorsabovetheentrance，whichopenstoalittlecourtoryard，andgivesaccessbyadecentstairwaytotheliving-rooms。Thechiefoftheseisasufficientlydignifiedparlororsalon，andthemostimportantisthelittlechamberinthethirdstorywherethepoetfirstopenedhiseyestothelightwhichherejoicedinforsolongalife，andwhich，dying，heimploredtobewithhimmore。Itisaslargeashisdeath-chamberinWeimar，wherehebreathedthisprayer，anditlooksdownintotheItalian-lookingcourt，whereprobablyhenoticedtheworldforthefirsttime，andthoughtitapavedenclosurethirtyorfortyfeetsquare。Inthebirth-
roomtheykeephispuppettheatre，andtheplaceisfairlysuggestiveofhischildhood；later，inhisyouth，hecouldlookfromtheparlorwindowsandseethehousewherehisearliestlovedwelt。SomuchremainsofGoetheintheplacewherehewasborn，andassuchthingsgo，itisnotalittle。Thehouseisthatofaprosperousandwell-placedcitizen，andspeaksofthesenatorialqualityinhisfamilywhichHeinesayshewasfondofrecalling，ratherthanthesartorialqualityoftheancestorwho，againasHeinesays，mendedtheRepublic’sbreeches。
FromtheGoethehouse，onedrivesbytheGoethemonumenttotheRomer，thefamoustown-halloftheoldfreeimperialcitywhichFrankfortoncewas；andbythisroutetheMarchesdrovetoit，agreeingwiththeircoachmanthathewastokeepasmuchinthesunaspossible。ItwasstillsocoldthatwhentheyreachedtheRomer，andhestoppedinabroadblazeoftheonlymeansofheatingthattheyhaveinFrankfortinthesummer，thetravellerswereloathtoleaveitforthechillinterior，wheretheGermanemperorswereelectedforsomanycenturies。Assoonasanemperorwaschosen，inthegreathalleffigiedroundwiththeportraitsofhispredecessors，hehurriedoutinthebalcony，ostensiblytoshowhimselftothepeople，butreally，Marchcontended，towarmupalittleinthesun。Thebalconywasundergoingrepairsthatday，andthetravellerscouldnotgooutonit；butunderthespellofthehistoricinterestofthebeautifuloldGothicplace，theylingeredintheinteriortilltheywerehalf-torpidwiththecold。Thensheabandonedtohimthejointdutyofviewingthecathedral，andhurriedtotheircarriagewhereshebaskedinthesuntillhecametoher。Hereturnedshivering，afterahalf-hour’sabsence，andpretendedthatshehadmissedthegreatestthingintheworld，butashecouldneverbegottosayjustwhatshehadlost，andundertheclosestcross-examinationcouldnotprovethatthiscathedralwasmemorablydifferentfromhundredsofotherfourteenth-
centurycathedrals，sheremainedinalastingcontentwiththeeasierpartshehadchosen。HisonlydefiniteimpressionatthecathedralseemedtobeconfinedtoaBostonianofgloomilycorrecttype，whomhehadseendoingitwithhisBaedeker，andnotlettinganobjectofinterestescape；andhisaccountofherfellow-townsmanreconciledMrs。
Marchmoreandmoretonothavinggone。
Asitwaswarmerout-doorsthanin-doorsatFrankfort，andasthebreadthofsunshineincreasedwiththeapproachofnoontheygavetherestofthemorningtodrivingaboutandignorantlyenjoyingtheoutsideofmanyGothicchurches，whosenameseventheydidnottroublethemselvestolearn。TheylikedtheriverMainwhenevertheycametoit，becauseitwassolatelyfromWurzburg，andbecauseitwassobeautifulwithitsbridges，oldandnew，anditsboatsofmanypatterns。Theylikedthemarket-placeinfrontoftheRomernotonlybecauseitwasfulloffascinatingbargainsincuriouscrockeryandwooden-ware，butbecausetherewasscarcelyanyshadeatallinit。TheyreadfromtheirBaedekerthatuntiltheendofthelastcenturynoJewwassufferedtoenterthemarketplace，andtheyrejoicedtofindfromallappearancesthattheJewshadbeenmakingupfortheirunjustexclusioneversince。TheywerealmostasnumerousthereastheAnglo-SaxonswereeverywhereelseinFrankfort。These，bothoftheEnglishandAmericanbranchesoftherace，prevailedinthehoteldiningroom，wheretheMarcheshadamid-daydinnersogoodthatitalmostmadeamendsforthesteam-heatingandelectric-
lighting。
AssoonaspossibleafterdinnertheytookthetrainforMayence，andranRhinewardsthroughaprettycountryintowhatseemedamilderclimate。
Itgrewsomuchmilder，apparently，thataladyintheircompartmenttowhomMarchofferedhisforward-lookingseat，orderedthewindowdownwhentheguardcame，withoutaskingtheirleave。Thentheclimateprovedmuchcolder，andMrs。Marchcoweredunderhershawlstherestoftheway，andwouldnotbeentreatedtolookatthepleasantlevellandscapenear，orthehillsfaroff。Heproposedtoputupthewindowasperemptorilyasithadbeenputdown，butshestayedhimwithahoarsewhisper，“ShemaybeanotherBaroness！”Atfirsthedidnotknowwhatshemeant，thenherememberedtheladywhoseclaimstorankherpresencehadsopoorlyenforcedonthewaytoWurzburg，andheperceivedthathiswifewaspractisingawiseforbearancewiththeirfellow-passengers，andgivingherachancetoturnoutanysortofhighhoteshechose。Shefailedtoprofitbytheopportunity；sheremainedsimplyaselfish，disagreeablewoman，ofnomoreperceptibledistinctionthantheirotherfellow-
passenger，alittlecommercialtravellerfromViennatheyresolvedfromhisappearanceandtheletteringonhisvalisethathewasnoother，whosleptwithasortofpassionateintensityallthewaytoMayence。
TheMainwidenedandswamfullerastheyapproachedtheRhine，andfloodedthelow-lyingfieldsin-placeswithapleasanteffectunderawetsunset。WhentheyreachedthestationinMayencetheydroveinterminablytothehoteltheyhadchosenontheriver-shore，throughacityhandsomerandcleanerthananyAmericancitytheycouldthinkof，andgreatpartofthewaybyastreetofdwellingsnobler，Mrs。Marchowned，thanevenCommonwealthAvenueinBoston。Itwasplanted，likethat，withdoublerowsoftrees，butlackeditsgreenlawns；andattimesthesignofWeinhandlungatacorner，betrayedthattherewasnosuchrestrictionagainstshopsaskeepstheBostonstreetsosacred。OtherwisetheyhadtoconfessoncemorethatanyinferiorcityofGermanyisofamoreproperanddignifiedpresencethanthemostparse-proudmetropolisinAmerica。Tobesure，theysaid，theGermantownshadgenerallyathousandyears’start；butallthesamethefactgalledthem。
Itwasverybleak，thoughverybeautifulwhentheystoppedbeforetheirhotelontheRhine，wherealltheirimpalpablememoriesoftheirvisittoMayencethirtyyearsearlierprecipitatedthemselvesintosomethingtangible。Therewerethereachesofthestoriedandfabledstreamwithitsboatsandbridgesandwoodedshoresandislands；therewerethespiresandtowersandroofsofthetownoneitherbankcrowdingtotheriver’sbrink；andtherewithin-doorswasthestatelyportieringoldbraid，andthesmiling，bowing，hand-rubbinglandlord，alluringthemtohismostexpensiverooms，whichsolateintheseasonhewouldfainhavehadthemtake。Butinalittleelevator，thatmountedslowly，veryslowly，inthecurveofthestairs，theywenthighertosomethinglower，andthelandlordretiredbaked，andleftthemtotheministrationsoftheserving-menwhoarrivedwiththeirlargeandsmallbaggage。Alltheseretiredinturnwhentheyaskedtohaveafirelightedinthestove，withoutwhichMrs。Marchwouldneverhavetakenthefinestatelyrooms，andsentbackaprettyyounggirltodoit。Shecameindignant，notbecauseshehadcomeluggingaheavyhodofcoalandagreatarm-loadofwood，butbecausehersenseoffitnesswasoutragedbythestrangedemand。
“What！”shecried。“AfireinSeptember！”
“Yes。”Marchreturned，inspiredtomiraculousaptnessinhisGermanbytheexigency，“yes，ifSeptemberiscold。”
Thegirllookedathim，andthen，eitherbecauseshethoughthimmad，orlikedhimmerry，burstintoaloudlaugh，andkindledthefirewithoutawordmore。
Helightedallthereluctantgas-jetsinthevastgiltchandelier，andinlessthanhalfanhourthetemperatureoftheplacerosetoatleastsixty-fiveFahrenheit，witheverypromiseofgoinghigher。Mrs。Marchmadeherselfcomfortableinadeepchairbeforethestove，andsaidshewouldhavehersupperthere；andshebadehimsendherjustsuchasupperofchickenandhoneyandteaastheyhadallhadinMayencewhentheysuppedinheraunt’sparlorthereallthoseyearsago。Hewishedtocomputetheyears，butshedrovehimoutwithanimploringcry，andhewentdowntoaverygustydining-roomontheground-floor，wherehefoundhimselfalonewithayoungEnglishcoupleandtheirlittleboy。Theywerefriendly，intelligentpeople，andwouldhavebeenconversable，apparently，butfortheterriblecoldofthehusband，whichhesaidhehadcontractedatthemanoeuvresinHombourg。MarchsaidhewasgoingtoHolland，andtheEnglishmanwasdoubtfulofthewarmthwhichMarchexpectedtofindthere。Heseemedtobesufferingfromasuspenseoffaithastothewarmthanywhere；fromtimetotimethedoorofthedining-roomself-openedinasilent，ghostlyfashionintothecourtwithout，andletinachillingdraughtaboutthelegsofall，tillthelittleEnglishboygotdownfromhisplaceandshutit。
Healonecontinuedcheerful，forMarch’sspiritscertainlydidnotrisewhensomemumblingAmericanscameinandmutteredovertheirmeatatanothertable。Hehatedtoownit，buthehadtoownthatwhereverhehadmetthetwobranchesoftheAnglo-SaxonracetogetherinEurope，theelderhadshown，byasuperiorchirpiness，tothedisadvantageoftheyounger。Thecastclothesoftheold-fashionedBritishoffishnessseemedtohavefallentotheAmericantravellerswhoweretryingtobecorrectandexemplary；andhewouldalmostratherhavehadbacktheold-stylebraggingAmericanswhomhenolongersaw。Heaskedofanagreeablefellow-countrymanwhomhefoundlaterinthereading-room，whathadbecomeofthese；andthiscompatriotsaidhehadtravelledwithoneonlythedaybefore，whohadposedbeforetheirwholecompartmentinhisscornoftheGermanlandscape，theGermanweather，theGermangovernment，theGermanrailwaymanagement，andthenturnedoutanAmericanofGermanbirth！Marchfoundhiswifeingreatbodilycomfortwhenhewentbacktoher，butintroubleofmindaboutaclockwhichshehaddiscoveredstandingonthelacqueredirontopofthestove。ItwasaFrenchclock，ofarchitecturalpretensions，inthetasteofthefirstEmpire，anditlookedasifithadnotbeengoingsinceNapoleonoccupiedMayenceearlyinthecentury。ButMrs。Marchnowhaditsorelyonherconsciencewhere，initsdangerfromtheheatofthestove，itrestedwiththeweightofthePantheon，whoseclassicformitrecalled。Shewonderedthatnoonehadnoticeditbeforethefirewaskindled，andsherequiredherhusbandtoremoveitatoncefromthetopofthestovetothemantelunderthemirror，whichwasthenaturalhabitatofsuchaclock。Hesaidnothingcouldbesimpler，butwhenheliftedit，itbegantofallallapart，likeaclockinthehouseoftheHoodoo。Itsmarblebasedropped-off；itspillarstottered；itspedimentswayedtooneside。
WhileMrs。Marchlamentedherhardfate，andimploredhimtohurryittogetherbeforeanyonecame，hecontrivedtoreconstructitinitsnewplace。Thentheybothbreathedfreer，andreturnedtositdownbeforethestove。Butatthesamemomenttheybothsaw，ineffaceablyoutlinedonthelacqueredtop，thebasalformoftheclock。Thechambermaidwouldseeitinthemorning；shewouldnoticetheremovaloftheclock，andwouldmakeameritofreportingitsruinbytheheattothelandlord，andintheendtheywouldbemulctedofitsvalue。Ratherthansufferthiswrongtheyagreedtorestoreittoitsplace，and，letitgotodestructionuponitsownterms。Marchpainfullyrebuiltitwherehehadfoundit，andtheywenttobedwithabadconsciencetoworsedreams。